Electric time switch



in' w i i Feb. 16 1926. 1,573,066

v D. HITCHCOCK ELECTRIC TIME SWTCH Filed March 26, 1923 I atloncqs Patented Feb. 16, i926.

DELBERT HITCHCOCK, OF MILLERSBURG, OHIO.

ELECTRIC @LME SWITCH.

Application filed March 26, 1923.

1o @U 'whom t may conce/rn Be it known that DnLsifinr HITCHCOCK, a citizen ot the United States. residing;` at hlillersburg, in the county o'i' lflolmes and trilt :te ot Ohio, has invented certain new and iiseiul lii'iprovenients in Electric Time Switches, oi which the following` is a specilication.

'This invention relates to an electric time switch that is adapted to be placed over the tace ot an ordinary clock by mounting' the device on the hour hand spindle of the clock.

lhe primary object ot my invention is to provide an electric switch attachn'ient to clocks that can be so set as to make a contact at any given hoiir and also arrange that the contact can be broken later on at. air',Y

gijiven hour.

ill further object ol niy invention is to provide an electric time switch attachment tor clocks, that is simple in operation and construction diirable. efficient for the nui-- pose intended and one that can be manu- `lactnred and placed on the market at a relatively low cost.

lltn electric 'time switch attachment i'or clocks of this character is particularly adapted for use in the 'feeding of poultry, operating' ot lights in places where lights are notrequired duringl certain hours, and also for the turning' on and ott1 oit heat when buildings are heated at night.

These and like objects will be better iin-- derstood as the description ot my invention proceeds and as is specitically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring' to the drawings which torni a part ot this specification,

lRigore l is a plan view of an electric time switch attachment for clocks constructed in accordance with mv invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l.

' Referring` to the drawings in detail. like numerals will be used to designate like parts in the ditlerent views.

The. numeral l denotes the tace or dial ot clock, 2 the hour hand spindle on which my electric switch designated as a whole by the numeral 3 is mounted. My switch attachment comprises a circular connecting lever ring` 4. which is spaced apart from the face of the dial ot the clock by insulators 5, which are tastened to the :tace oi the clock by' any suitable means. A circular insulatingring 6 is placed withii'z the Serial No. 627,889.

circular connecting ring' l. The insulatingr ring is provided with twelve metal sec'- ineiits 7 which are secured thereto in anv suitable manner. The metal segments. 'T correspond to the honi' marks on the dial oi the clock. Pivotally connected to the metal circular ring' et as at S are twelve levers E). which cori espond to the number ot metal segments and the hour marl/:s on the dial ot' the clock.

.it dos` disc l() is mounted on the dce.' disc spinale il to rotate with the latter. which is in turn mounted tor rotation on the hourliand spindle 2. Pivoted to the dog' disc engaging the periphery oi saine as at l2 is a Contact do;` lll. A spring lll has one end re'fiired to the dog' dise l0 and the opposite end connected to the contact dog` i3.

l .it will lle seen Jfrom the drawing` that the insulated annulus is scalloped on its inner periphery to receive therein the semi-circular contact members or segments 7, the flat edges o-t the latter beine' disposed at various angles with respect to one' another. As the contact defi 13 is rotated, it leaves one tace at one contact: and is adapted to snap into engagement with the lace oi" the next succeedingi` segment 7. Vlhe positioning` of these segments so that they are at various angles enables lirin and positive contact to take place between the dog' 13 and the Jface ot said segineiits. rThis construction also relieves the spring;` 1%. from time to time ot its tension` thus savino; the strength thereof.

binding post l5 is connected to the dial ofthe clock tor one wire of the el-ctric circuit (not shown) while the second terminal ot the time switch is designated by the numeral l which is connected to the circular lever ring' 4. il metal brace 17 connects the binduia` post l5 with the dog' disc spindle ll.

ln the installation and operation or' my invention, the device as above described is placed on the hour spindle and over the dial otl the clock, and as shown in Fig. l the device is set to make and hold a contact for three hours trom one oclock until three oclock, which is accomplished by moving the levers 9 into engagement with the-metal segments Y which as above stated correspond to the hour marks on the dial ci' the clock. As the dog` disc 10 rotates with the hour spindle 2, and when the contact dogi3 reaches the first metal segment which is connected with the circular metal ringthrough one of the levers 9, an electric circuit is closed, to the binding post 15, through the metal brush 17 to the disc spindle 11, then through the contact dog 13 to the metal segment, then through the connecting lever to the circular metal ring, then around the metal ring to the binding post 16; As shown the contact dog has passed the last metal segment which is connected with the metal ring to one of the connecting levers, the circuit is thus broken. In order to prevent any prolonged interruption in the electric circuit, the spring 14 instantly draws the contact dog 13 into contact with a new segment. For instance, in case the above device is used for heating a building, siX of the connectingr levers would be brought into engagement with the metal segments, so that a contact lasting an hour would be made every other hour as the hour hand of the clock revolves.

l'vhile I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, I realize that various minor changes may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed, therefore, I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction shown, nor the combination and arrangement of parts.

That I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. .In a time switch, a rotary spindle, a disc mounted thereon, a metallic annulus arranged concentric with said spindle, an insulated annulus secured to the metal annulus, the inner periphery of said insulated annulus extending within the periphery of the first mentioned annulus, a plurality of metallic segments mounted on the inner periphery of said insulated annulus, a plurality of pivoted levers carried on said metallic annulus and adapted for Contact respectively with the aforesaid segments, a pivoted dog carried on said disc and having its free end in the path of said segments to contact with the latter' as the disc is rotated, a coil spring having one end connected with the dog and its other end connected with said disc to normally urge said dog in a predetermined direction, and a connecting element engaged with saidA spindle and projecting radially therefrom to a point beyond the outer periphery of said metallic annulus, as and for the purposes described.

2. In a time switch, a rotary spindle, a disc carried thereon, a metallic annulus arranged concentric with said disc, an insulated annulus secured to the inner face of the metallic annulus and having its inner periphery projecting within the inner periphery of the first mentioned annulus, said inner periphery of the insulated annulus being scalloped, a plurality of metallic segments mounted in the scallops of said insulated annulus, a plurality of levers pivoted at their one ends to the outer face of said metallic annulus, the outer ends of ksaid levers being adapted to be respectively moved into contact with the aforesaid segments at predetermined times, a pivoted contact dog carried on said disc, the free end of said dog being adapted for engagement with the respective segments as said disc is rotated, a coil spring having its one end engaged with said dog and its opposite end engaged with said disc to normally urge the dog in one direction, and a contact arm engaged at its one end with said spindle and projecting radially therefrom to a point beyond the outer periphery of said metallic annulus, as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I atHX my signature.

.DELBERT HITCHCOCK. 

